


Theories of Romantic Expressionism

by Little_Annie_Adderall



Category: Community (TV)
Genre: Angst, Birthday, Birthday Party, Birthday Presents, Christmas, Declarations Of Love, F/M, Fluff, Romance, Romantic Comedy, Romantic Gestures, Unresolved Romantic Tension, Unresolved Sexual Tension, Walk Into A Bar
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-13
Updated: 2020-08-13
Packaged: 2021-03-06 03:47:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,319
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25876906
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Little_Annie_Adderall/pseuds/Little_Annie_Adderall
Summary: Annie's 21st birthday party. She rarely thinks of herself as "the young one" in the group anymore. But there's always one person who points out her tender age at every ill-timed opportunity. Tonight, she wants to prove her new adult identity. Although whether she wants to prove this new identity to herself or to... him... she isn't entirely sure. So on December 19, the study group gathers to celebrate Annie Edison finally going to a bar without having to be Caroline Decker from Corpus Christi. And once there, she receives a gift that changes everything.
Relationships: Annie Edison/Jeff Winger
Comments: 18
Kudos: 68





	Theories of Romantic Expressionism

**Author's Note:**

> * This story contains significant references to past episodes, including (but not limited to) "Debate 109," "Cooperative Calligraphy," and "Remedial Chaos Theory." You don't have to be intricately familiar with them to enjoy this story, but it helps! Enjoy, and please drop a comment to let me know what you think! I have some other stories in the works as well and look forward to sharing with my COMMUNITY soon! *

Annie nervously pulls at the edge of her skirt as Britta leads the way into The Red Door. Or L Street. Whatever you want to call it.

Just 30 minutes before, she had been thrilled to play dress up at Britta's apartment – settling on those knee-high boots she always used to judge, a skirt her mother would not have let her out of the house in, and a purple blouse with a rather dangerous plunging neckline.

But now, as she follows her friend into the bar, she just feels like a 12-year-old wearing Big Sister's clothes and trying to fit in with the cool kids. That is not the point of this night.

She wishes she was back in her cozy bedroom, all alone with her comfy sweats and plushies – or at the very least, that she had added a cardigan to this silly ensemble.

"BIRTHDAY GIRL IN THA HOUSSSEEE!"

Britta's announcement to the entire establishment jerks Annie back to reality. She winces.

As the two newcomers make their way to the back of the bar, the entire study group turns as one to stare at her. Annie finds the only face she's really looking for, and – insecurity fading – blushes with pleasure to see his eyes widen.

Shirley surveys Annie's outfit and clutches her purse tight enough to her chest to ward off any stray demons. Her lips nonetheless form a trademark smile.

"Oh Annie," Shirley chirrups. "Just because you turned 21 doesn't mean you have to also dress like a street walker."

Annie gasps.

"And on Christmas."

"It's December 19th," Jeff intones dryly.

"I'll pray for your soul!" Shirley says sweetly. Then she shakes her head, purses her lips, and mutters, "But what the baby Jesus decides to do with you after that is up to him."

Britta rolls her eyes. "Shirley, don't worry. When a woman is this hot, the raging fires of hell won't have any effect on her."

Pierce looks genuinely confused. "What's wrong? I think she looks like a young Eartha Kitt! But, you know, not black."

Everyone: "Ugh!"

With a grimace at Pierce, Troy saunters up to Annie and puts a hand on her shoulder. "So, forgetting that ever happened..."

He then continues with an air of wisdom and authority, "Kid... You're entering the next chapter of your life. Sadly, it's the final chapter, but it's also the shortest. And if you play it right, the worst. Wait... that can't be right... Well, anyway, point being, you and I? We're peers now. Equals. Welcome."

He gives her a fatherly smile, pats her shoulder again, then strides over to join Shirley and Pierce at their table.

Annie looks incredulous. "Um, that's awesome... Thanks, Troy... "

"He's so weird," Britta mutters. But her gaze follows Troy a little hungrily. She abruptly lunges to grab the seat next to him before Abed takes it.

Abed, however, is still considering Annie. He stares blankly at a spot on the floor just past Annie's face.

"Abed, are you OK?"

"Yeah I'm OK. It's just clear to me now. I thought you were Reese Witherspoon in Legally Blonde: proud of who you are, refusing to change just to fit in, using your skill and wit to help us all succeed. But now I see you're also Reese Witherspoon in Pleasantville. Or maybe Tobey Maguire. Or maybe both. Either way, our world used to be black and white. Our roles were clear… Jeff was the charismatic leader. Britta was the hot mess. Troy was the confident innocent. Pierce was the headstrong rule-breaker. Shirley was the secret badass. I was the voice of reason and clarity. Then you showed up here tonight. And you're... different. And bright. And suddenly, the world is in color. And we can see now that you've become all of those things by yourself."

He pauses. "And now that we can see in color, everything's going to change."

"Abed, I think you may be overreacting a little," Jeff says. "We aren't going to follow you into a Pleasantville homage episode now, are we?"

"Yeah," Annie chimes in, concerned. "Nothing's going to change, Abed."

Abed glances between the two of them and arches an eyebrow. "We'll see."

He walks off.

The only one left standing with Annie now is Jeff. She purposefully focuses on Abed joining the group at the table – suddenly self-conscious again.

"Well that was... very Abed," Jeff says, also watching their friend leave.

"Yeah... Like a birthday can really change anything... " She glances Jeff's way for the first time.

"And, I mean, regardless, I'm totally still the charismatic leader. And Britta will always be the hot mess. So you don't have to worry about taking those roles on."

Annie laughs and feels herself relaxing again. "And I definitely won't be the confident innocent."

It was Jeff's turn to arch an eyebrow. "Oh no?"

"I mean... " Annie points to her outfit and laughs. She runs her fingers through her hair and, after a pause, asks, "Speaking of – what do you think?"

Jeff smiles gently, reminded of the uptight girl who let her hair down during debate prep all those years ago. "Yeah... "

Doe eyes in full effect, she lets time stop for a moment while she meets his gaze, reminded of the typically self-assured man lost for words during debate prep all those years ago.

"I think you need to change, or else I'll be playing referee with all the guys in this bar tonight."

Annie grins, looks down, and tucks her hair behind her ear.

* * *

All night, guys are buying Annie drinks or coming up to flirt with her at the group table. The study group mostly stays put for the evening, having little side conversations. But Annie is often off talking to other people. Jeff makes a point to keep an eye on her.

She had already found Neil and Vicki in the crowd. The Dean stopped by, fully decked out in a sexy Rudolph outfit. ("Isn't this a holiday bar hop? Oh, the costume is my sister's... I didn't have time, OK? This party was _such_ short notice. Thank goodness I read through Jeffrey's e-mail account when I did or I might have missed the festivities entirely.") Even Duncan showed up from wherever he'd been hiding to make a couple crude comments before passing out on his bar stool.

Back at the table, Shirley shows off pictures of Ben playing with Christmas tree ornaments. Troy and Abed are discussing the latest Inspector Spacetime episode. Britta is opining the lack of Inspector Minerva badassery in this conversation and insisting that a middle-aged woman cooing over 10 sequential photos of a child eating their own toes is not the push that society needs to properly reflect female empowerment on the small or silver screens. Pierce is hitting on the waitress.

Jeff is nursing a Macallan neat and fighting the surprisingly intense urge to actually be interested in both the baby photos and the sci-fi discussion. (What had these people even done to him? Greendale really _was_ sucking his life force...)

He glances across the room to where he had last been keeping tabs on Annie. She isn't there. He looks around the bar and doesn't see her. He turns to look toward the bathroom hallway and doesn't see her there, either.

Alarmed, he asks, "Guys, where's Annie?" No one pays attention.

Louder: "Guys! Where's Annie!"

They quiet down at the urgent tone. After a quick scan, Abed says, "She's over by the pinball machine."

Jeff leaps up to look into the far corner. He relaxes at first to see her laughing and playing the game. But his eyes narrow quickly when the fraternity-looking guy she's with puts his hand on her arm. A moment later, he moves it up to her elbow to pull her in. Annie flinches and moves back, still with a smile on her face but a quick concerned glance down at his hand. "Delta Cubes Douche" – as Jeff was definitely going to refer to him from here on out – steps closer.

And in a flash, Jeff appears (as he often does to defend his friends against injustice), stepping in front of Annie and blocking Delta Cubes Douche from her.

"Ok, jockstrap, that's enough."

"Pfft who are you?"

"I could ask you the same."

"Bro, why don't you go rejoin your AARP meeting and leave us alone, OK?"

"Oh, good one, bro," Jeff mocks. "That's high-level rhetoric. I would be offended if I didn't know that in a couple years, you'll be asking me if I want fries with that. Why don't you read the room? The lady's not interested."

Delta Cubes Douche laughs, wipes his nose, leans closer to Jeff, and whispers conspiratorially, "Whatever, dude, between you and me, the "lady's" a freak, OK? Imma get her out of here and..."

Jeff leans in, too, and mimics the whisper. "You're right. Consent is overrated."

Delta Cubes Douche's smile fades. "Thankfully, I don't need consent to take you to the street right now and eat you out alive."

"Oohhhh, it all make sense now! THAT explains why you look like the type of guy who wakes up naked with your 'bro' after a night of drinking!"

Delta Cubes Douche swiftly punches Jeff in the jaw, Annie screams. Everyone else jumps up. Jeff lunges at him and grabs his shirt collar. A scuffle ensues, and the bar tender demands they get out of there.

* * *

The brawlers stumble out onto the sidewalk. After some aggressive posturing that Britta would call "expressing repressed homosexuality," Delta Cubes Douche and his friends leave. As Jeff storms toward the parking lot, he hears Annie run behind him and call his name. She starts to ask if he's OK, but he quickly turns around. He's angry.

"Get back inside, Annie."

"Thank you for doing tha-"

"You know, if you think you're all grown up now, you need to stop being so naive, realize that the world is full of pricks, and start being more careful."

"Excuse me!? I didn't need you to step in for me like that. I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself. I'm not a little kid."

Jeff gives Annie a scornful once over with his eyes, his left hand gesturing up and down. "Yeah, you're clearly trying way too hard to prove that."

"You can't treat me this way, anymore, Jeff," she retorts indignantly. "You can cut the whole paternal act now."

Jeff quiets and his eyes darken. He growls, "Come on, Annie. Nothing I feel for you is remotely paternal." He turns and walks away.

Annie blinks. What does that even mean? They had always skirted around this conversation, inching closer to honesty but never quite getting there. Memories dance in front of her eyes...

_How much effort do I rate? ... For you? I'd break a light sweat._

_You're becoming dangerous, Annie. It's those doe eyes._

_I guess I didn't need to tackle you. ... I guess not._

_What about 'the Annie of it all'?_

_I only did it because I love you!_

_Either you want me or you don't, what's it going to be? ... I wish I could give you an answer that makes sense._

_I care what you think about me. ... Yeah, well, I care what you think about me._

_You buried me like a shameful secret!_

_I can't help but worry about you, Annie. You're important to me._

_When you feel about someone the way I feel about you..._

_We can't keep doing this forever, kiddo. ... Can't we?_

Annie shudders. She wants to run after him, beat him in the chest, demand that he be real with her for once – that something just change already. Ugh, this is stupid.

"Then what _do_ you feel for me?"

Did she really just blurt that out? The exclamation takes even her aback somewhat. Thanks, appletinis.

Jeff stops in his tracks. Pauses. Doubles back and storms up quickly on her, faces inches apart. She inhales sharply, head up, holding her ground – glad Britta's boots add a few extra inches of height tonight.

He gives her that angry Jeff look, the smoldering gaze, and growls again, "You're drunk. And I'm not having this conversation."

Jeff storms off, half-turning to toss a small box her way as he goes. "Happy birthday, Annie." Then he disappears into the darkness of the parking lot.

All is quiet. Annie steps forward and picks up the box. Opens it. Inside, is a purple pen with a gel grip. She lets out a small huff. There's a note attached to the pen: "I may have taken your pen (sorry), but you took my heart. Hold on to both of them this time."

Annie's head jerks up toward where Jeff disappeared into the darkness. No hesitation this time, she runs. "Jeff!"

Jeff's car door is open, but he turns toward her, leaning against the inside of the door. She stops a few feet from him, holding the pen. He glances at it.

Goosebumps rise on her skin. She shivers. It could be the cold Colorado winter. It could be Jeff. She steps closer.

"Jeff... I don't care about that bar or this party. I just wanted to celebrate tonight because I thought if I made a big point about turning 21, it would make a difference. If you saw me dress like... this... it would make a difference. That you wouldn't be scared anymore..."

"Annie, the only thing I'm scared of is myself. Because the things that I want to do right now – the things I've wanted to do for a long time – are not appropriate after you've been drinking all night. I should really go."

"Please don't go." She takes another step closer, gazing up at him, hand gentle on his forearm. They stare at each other. His face looks strained. And then with one quick motion, he rolls his eyes, slams the door closed, mumbles a curse, and – hands wrapping behind her head – brings her to him.

She squeals at the sudden rush. So warm, but still... goosebumps.

His fingers are tangled in her hair, his lips strong on hers. She melts. His arms drop lower to wrap around her waist and he picks her up. Feet off the ground, she's now just above his face, lips still locked. Her hands are trapped against his chest, but she works them out to cradle his scruffy jaw. Far too soon, her feet touch the ground, and he's backing away from her.

Heavy breathing forms little clouds in the still air between them.

Annie doesn't open her eyes right away. Maybe if she keeps them closed it won't be over. His thumb rubs her bottom lip, and she opens her eyes to find his inches away, boring holes into her soul – anger gone, replaced by a tight smirk... that special side smile that always seems to be just for her.

"I'm going to go now," he says. "I'll call you tomorrow."

She gently nibbles his thumb. He laughs and looks away.

Hand on her chin, he tilts her head up. "Annie, go back inside the bar. Please. I'll watch to make sure you get in safe."

Annie nods, still in a daze, and heads toward the building. Stopping at the front door, she turns back around. She can't see him in the darkness, but she knows Jeff is still standing there, protecting her.

* * *

The next morning, Annie wakes with a throbbing head. Groaning, she opens her bedroom door.

"Birthday Annie in the moooorning," Troy and Abed sing in unison as she stands, grimacing in the doorway.

"I think it's still morning, anyway," Troy says. "Sleepyhead."

The two of them tease her about various things from last night. She heads toward the bathroom to wash her face. As she passes the door, there's a knock. She opens it. Jeff.

He's wearing a dark blue button-up shirt and leaning against the door frame – coat draped across one arm, the other arm behind his back. A smirk crosses his face when he sees her. That easy cool and handsome look. "YOU look like you had a great night."

"I don't feel like I did."

"That feeling just tells you that you definitely did. So do the glazed-over eyes."

Jeff walks into the apartment. "I expected this." Nods a greeting to Troy and Abed. "Hey guys. And I come bearing grease." He drops McDonald's bags on the table.

Abed makes some jokes about McDonald's sponsoring the show and goes in the kitchen to get plates.

Annie resumes her trek into the bathroom. Jeff follows. "So, good morning, birthday girl. Sleep well?" He's very casual, grinning loosely, and standing closer than usual.

"You're in a good mood," she drones.

"A pretty girl kissed me last night." He interrupts himself, holding up a hand. "Sorry, a beautiful woman kissed me last night."

"I guess I got my birthday wish," she teases. Jeff raises one eyebrow and smiles brightly. Annie glances down and then back up at him under heavy lids, biting her lip, "Part of it anyway."

He laughs and eyes widen. "Saying all the right things, hangover and all."

Annie turns off the faucet and grips the sink, eyes cast down, steeling herself.

"Look Jeff, I've been waiting for you for three years. The coy looks, the sitting close... the general atmosphere of will they/won't they. The... kisses and then the pulling away. I'm done waiting. I need to know if anything real is going to happen this time or if it's still a game to you and I should just move on. "

Jeff sits against the sink and puts his feet up on the tub.

"I'VE been waiting for YOU. We've talked about... the age thing. It's not insignificant. If I had done anything with you before now, Britta and Shirley would have castrated me. Hell, they probably still will.

"Annie, when I came to Greendale, I wanted to get the hell out as soon as possible. I wasn't there to make friends and I wasn't there to change myself. But then I met you. And you wormed your way into my conscience. You made me care about... things... and people. You made me think about what mattered beyond myself. And I very quickly came to realize that a big part of what mattered... was you.

"But you – were 18. And that was gross. And I wasn't trying to earn my degree from prison. So I called you 'kiddo,' and patted your head, and acted protective because it was the only way I could be close to you. It was the only way I could keep from going crazy.

"But now, you're this amazing, smart, competitive, passionate, _com_ passionate, commanding woman. I'm so proud of who you are. And, despite your best efforts, here I am still the same ego-maniacal blow hard who can only think about getting into your pants. I don't deserve you, even a little bit. But last year, you asked me if I wanted you or not. I said it was complicated. Now, you're 21. And because of made-up societal norms, I'm finally allowed to have an answer.

"Annie, I want you. I've always wanted you. And, despite MY best efforts, I always will. You're the reason the universe brought me to Greendale. And yes, I want you. But I will go as fast or as slow as you need. Because – what would shock the old me – is that what you want is far more important. "

There it is again, warmth and goosebumps. Annie stands, mouth agape, eyes imploring. "That may be the best Winger speech you've ever given."

They both start to lean in, when there's a knock on the door. They both look up as Troy calls, "Food's getting cold, grease is congealing, let's go."

They smile at each other – typical Jeff and Annie looks.

Then Annie extends her hand, "Milord."

He takes it, "Milady."

And they walk into the apartment.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! This was my first-ever fan fiction, and I hope you enjoyed!
> 
> Two things I want to note about this story… 
> 
> First, an explanation for Jeff having one of Annie's pens… In "Cooperative Calligraphy," Annie claims that she has lost eight pens. When Chang finds the monkey's secret stash of air-vent treasures in "Paradigms of Human Memory" later that year, there are clearly only six pens in the pile. Who has the others?
> 
> And second, I picture Jeff and Annie's talk in the bathroom looking very similar to their bathroom scene in "Remedial Chaos Theory" – with Jeff sitting against the sink, an almost kiss, and looking up in unison at the door when they get interrupted.
> 
> Please drop a comment to let me know what you think! I have some other stories in the works as well and look forward to sharing with my COMMUNITY soon!


End file.
